The Gujarat government has announced plans to install rooftop solar systems at 800 offices under the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Farmers Welfare and Cooperation Department during financial year 2026-27, with an estimated annual electricity bill saving of ₹2.5 crore. Letters of Intent (LOIs) were awarded to various agencies through the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) at a programme held in Gandhinagar on Friday, 23 October 2026.

Scale and Capacity

The initiative is expected to add approximately 2.5 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity across the targeted offices. According to officials, the systems are projected to generate around 31.94 lakh units of electricity annually, translating to roughly 8,750 units per day. The rollout is designed to reduce the department's dependence on conventional power and lower its recurring electricity expenditure.

What the Government Said

Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, who chaired the LOI programme in the presence of Minister of State for Agriculture Ramesh Katara, said the initiative is built around three core objectives: environmental protection, efficient use of public funds, and energy security. 'The Agriculture Department would be the first state government department to equip all its units with solar panels, after which the model would be extended to other departments in phases. The longer-term objective is to equip all state government offices with rooftop solar systems,' Vaghani said. He also linked the effort to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Viksit Bharat @2047', urging cooperative institutions and departmental staff to install solar panels at their homes and encourage at least five others to do the same.

Facilities Covered and Future Expansion

Additional Chief Secretary of the Animal Husbandry and Cooperation Department, Arun Kumar Solanki, said the planned 2.5 MW capacity would cover agricultural research centres, training centres, universities, veterinary disease investigation centres, veterinary hospitals, nurseries, and other government institutions. Beyond offices, the state government is also reportedly considering installing solar panels on the sheds and domes of marketing yards across Gujarat. Vaghani said the plan would cover warehouses, domes, and storage facilities in phases, with solar generation expected to reduce electricity costs for the yards.

Broader Context

This initiative is part of Gujarat's wider push toward renewable energy adoption in the public sector. The state has been among India's frontrunners in solar deployment, and extending rooftop systems to government buildings represents a shift from large-scale utility solar to distributed generation at the institutional level. Notably, by beginning with the Agriculture Department — one of Gujarat's largest departmental networks — the state government is signalling a replicable model for other administrations to adopt. Senior officials from the Agriculture Department, GEDA, Fisheries, Cooperative Societies, Animal Husbandry, and Horticulture directorates attended the programme.

What Comes Next

With LOIs already awarded, execution is expected to proceed through the current financial year. If the Agriculture Department model delivers on its savings and capacity targets, the Gujarat government has indicated it will extend the programme to other departments in subsequent phases, with an eventual goal of covering all state government offices under rooftop solar.